Salem, Ore. - The Oregon National Guard command and community was saddened by the death of two Army National Guard soldiers. Staff Sergeant Dominic Criscenti III and Sergeant Gordon Van Gross were involved in a single vehicle accident on Monday at approximately 4:30 p.m. Sgt. Crisenti was driving his privately owned vehicle on Alder Road in Portland when it left the road and overturned into a slough. The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Portland Police Bureau.

Both soldiers were members of the 2nd Battalion, 218th Field Artillery, Bravo Battery based at the Jackson Armory on Cornfoot Road in Portland. Gross held the military occupational specialty of Cannoneer, while Criscenti’s specialty was that of Fire Direction. In addition, Criscenti was the Readiness non-commissioned officer for B Battery and Gross was the Administrative non-commissioned officer.